Tag: GPP

In April, my 10 clean energy stocks model portfolio continued to power ahead, despite the concerns about market valuation I expressed last month. As I said at the time "me being nervous about the market is not much of an indicator that stocks are going to fall" at least in the short term. So I continue to trim winning positions and increase my allocation to cash as stocks advance.
Both the model portfolio and the Green Global Equity Income Portfolio (GGEIP) were up 4.5% and 3.6% respectively in April. This was solidly ahead of their clean energy income benchmark YLCO...

The first quarter of 2019 saw the market's largest quarterly gain in a decade, and my 10 clean energy stocks model portfolio outperformed both the broad market and the clean energy income ETF I use as a benchmark (see chart above.)
Performance that strong makes me nervous, especially since the last time we saw gains like these it was the stock market rebound from the financial crisis. In this case, while the market was down in the last quarter of 2018, it had only been enough of a decline to blow a little of the foam off the top of...

It's hard to find anything to complain about in the first two month's performance of my 10 Clean Energy Stocks for 2019 model portfolio. Unfortunately, I'm about to go on vacation and don't have time to do an update on all the earnings reports that have come out over the last two weeks. I will try to get to them individually as I have time.
Strategically, I'd like to say I'm getting very nervous about this market rally, and think that readers should be taking profits opportunistically and increasing your cash positions.

by Tom Konrad Ph.D., CFA
Almost every major index fell in 2018. My Ten Clean Energy Stocks model portfolio and the Green Global Equity Income Portfolio (GGEIP), the real-money portfolio that I manage were not exceptions. Still, I'm satisfied with their performance: the model portfolio lost only 1.3 percent for the year, while GGEIP was down 2.6 percent. That's well ahead of most indexes, including my benchmarks YLCO (down 7.8 percent) and SDY (down 4.1%.) These benchmarks are intended to reflect the performance of clean energy dividend stocks and general of dividend stocks, respectively. Non-income oriented indexes such as the...

by Tom Konrad Ph.D., CFA
Looking forward to 2019, I'm more optimistic than I have been since the start of 2016, in the wake of the popping of the YieldCo Bubble in late 2015.
The bear market that started in late 2018 seems like it's far from over, but I expect in early 2019 will see it enter a less chaotic phase. After the wild declines and swings of late 2018, I expect investors will begin the new year with an eye to safety more than growth. This means that the clean energy income stocks which are my focus should outperform...

by Tom Konrad Ph.D., CFA
At the start of November, I abandoned my short-term bearish stance on the market, writing "I’m not confident that the correction is over, but we seem to be heading into a temporary lull, and so I’m going to abandon cash as my top pick for November." This turned out to be a good call, with my Ten Clean Energy Stocks model portfolio up 4.3% for the month, slightly behind its broad dividend income benchmark, SDY, which was up 4.9%. Its clean energy income benchmark YLCO gained 1.6%, as did the private portfolio I manage, the...

Tom Konrad Ph.D., CFA
After a fairly brutal September and October my Ten Clean Energy Stocks model portfolio is barely hanging on to positive territory for the year (up 2.4%) as is the private portfolio I manage, the Green Global Equity Income Portfolio (GGEIP, up 0.8%). Yet I can take comfort in superior relative performance, since my broad dividend income benchmark SDY is now down 0.1% for the year, and the clean energy income benchmark YLCO has fallen 5.8%. All returns are total return after fees and dividends.
The strong relative performance in a weak market is most likely due to...

As you can see from the chart, September was a tough month for my model portfolio of Ten Clean Energy Stocks for 2018. Seaspan (SSW) fell back on trade war fears and Green Plains Partners (GPP) fell on ethanol market weakness caused by retaliatory ethanol tariffs and the Trump EPA's continued undermining of the Renewable Fuel Standard. I'm less sure why Covanta (CVA) is down, but Clearway Energy's (CWEN and CWEN-A formerly NRG Yield) small decline is due to a recent secondary offering.
Two of these (CVA and GPP) were my top picks last month, while the third was Terraform Power (TERP). ...

Tom Konrad Ph.D., CFA
July and August saw some mild recovery for the stock market after a difficult first half of 2018. Clean energy income stocks continue to lag the broader market, but my Ten Clean Energy Stocks model portfolio has managed to maintain its lead over its broad market benchmark.
Through August 31st, the model portfolio is up 7.5%, compared to its broad dividend income benchmark SDY, which is up 5.3%. Its clean energy income benchmark YLCO is down 1.2, even after dividend income. The private portfolio I manage, the Green Global Equity Income Portfolio (GGEIP), is slightly behind the...

by Jim Lane
In Washington, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt has resigned.
US President Donald Trump announced the exit on Twitter, commenting, “President Donald Trump announced Pruitt’s exit, saying on Twitter “I have accepted the resignation of Scott Pruitt as the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. Within the Agency Scott has done an outstanding job, and I will always be thankful to him for this.”
Deputy Administrator Andrew Wheeler becomes acting administrator.
The Digest’s Take
Elsewhere in the media, it is widely reported that Pruitt was undone by a growing number of controversies and investigations relating to his conduct as EPA Administrator, particularly relating...

The first half of 2018 has been difficult for most investors, including clean energy investors and dividend income investors. Through June, my broad dividend income benchmark SDY lost 0.6%, while my clean energy income benchmark YLCO lost 4.7%, including dividend income.
My picks were also down for most of the year, finally struggling back into positive territory at the end of May. They finished the first half up a solid 5.9%. The real money strategy I manage, the Green Global Equity Income Portfolio (GGEIP), also squeaked in to positive territory by 1.2% at the end of June.
Details of then stocks'...

After a stormy winter for the broad market and clean energy stocks, including my picks, March and April brought relative calm. Better yet, my model portfolio has rebounded from its February lows, although its benchmarks (SDY for the broad market of income stocks and YLCO for clean energy income stocks) have mostly been treading water.
The gains were led by two of my less conventional clean energy picks, Seaspan (SSW) and InfraREIT (HIFR). Seaspan owns (mostly very efficient) container-ships, which most people would not associate with clean energy, but which I include because they they are much less energy intensive...

Tom Konrad Ph.D., CFA
While the broad market has been turbulent for the start of 2018, clean energy stocks have fared worse than most. The Trump administration's anti-environmental efforts had little effect on clean energy stocks in 2017 (it was a banner year for this model portfolio). So far, this year has been quite different. Last year, investors seemed unfazed by the chaos in Washington, but with the single "win" of the Republican tax give-away to corporations, investors now seem to think that Trump may indeed be able to deliver on his polluter-funded agenda.
Income-oriented stocks have also been taking a...

Tom Konrad Ph.D., CFA
Ten Years of "10 Clean Energy Stocks." A 38% total return in 2017 is the one to beat.
I started blogging about investing in clean energy stocks in 2005. At the time, I had just started an independent investment advisory practice, and thought blogging was a good way to impress people with my knowledge of clean energy. I don't know how many people I impressed, but the clients were hardly pounding down the door.
What I did learn, however, was that I loved writing about clean energy from the perspective of a stock investor. Because I was...